The episode where Cal (Tim Roth) watches the execution of Jason Wilkes (David Marciano) the man he put away - helped Zoe (Jennifer Beales) put away and the first one of his cases who was given the death penalty, as Gillian (Kelli Williams) explains. Cal has his doubts and at first thinks he could have been wrong. Yet he's never wrong, so that was moot. Also it was another chance for those around him, particularly the women in his life, Zoe and Gillian, to fret over him and they were both right, he would open up to Emily (Hayley McFarland). He'd do anything for her, as we know, which is as it should be, being her father.
Eli (Brendan Hines) expresses his concerns over Cal not showing any emotions after someone he helped put away is executed. But then what can you do, that is the nature of capital punishment. Strangely, Eli doesn't seem to feature prominently in many episodes and when they do include him, he's given completely inadequate scenes; which doesn't really do much for his character in terms of development. In fact he seems to go backwards in doing or saying something we've already seen. Like having a bail out plan at the first signs of the Lightman Group being sued bu Jason's brother Kevin (David Rees Snell) for wrongful death. He's got his resume ready for Jack, from ep 2.3 Control Factor which doesn't show much confidence in the boss or his job, but Cal susses out what he was intending to do at the end.
Also Gillian berates them both, Ria (Monica Raymund) who would have still been a "glorified baggage handler" and Eli would have still been conducting research in his basement, er, he still does that now, albeit in the office and not a basement. Eli: "...the way he insults me on a daily basis, blind loyalty would just be self loathing and the best time to look for a job is when you already have one."
It's not the first time his job has been in jeopardy, particularly since he got relegated to no-pay status in season 1. Also this quote appears out of place, since in ep 2.17 Bullet Bump when Cal punched him for kissing Emily; Eli managed to get a half-baked apology out of Cal. But here it's back to the same old, "he hates me" mode. That's why episodes need to be shown in production order. But then again, Cal will never change.
That look on Ria's face when the news shows Jason has been executed reeked of smugness, reinforced earlier on, when Eli tells her she's not the executioner. She replies she'd be happy to throw the switch. You'd expect a little more empathy from her, given her background and own sister's life. Her family is far from perfect. Why couldn't Ria read Kevin when she and Eli bought him pastries in an attempt to get him to drop the lawsuit - thought that's why they went there, not just to sweet talk him. She being a natural and everything. Even when he said no one looks him in the eye anymore!
Emily asks Cal if he only married Zoe cos she was pregnant, would think that question works both ways: Zoe didn't have to accept the proposal. Gillian attempting to psychoanalyze Cal in the car which was pointless, he was out to help Zoe - the young prosecutor and Gillian is also aware Cal knows he could be wrong. Then he later comes up with not being wrong on both counts, i.e. then and now. Cal: "Do you charge by the hour for this?"
Gillian: "Classic deflection. Classic Cal Lightman."
Just wish these eps were shown in the right order, the cast's hair keeps changing every week for starters. Thought there was also a wasted opportunity on mentioning the death penalty and a bit more could have been said about it in Eli and Ria's conversation than just a passing comment. Okay that's not what the show is about but it was merited in this ep as Cal was so closely linked to the case. The suspect was apparent as usual and if he wasn't, then he should have been when the 'first son' was mentioned. But this show isn't about guessing the suspect, though that's not hard to do, but more about the characters and their interactions, especially with one another.
Ben (Mekhi Phifer) calling Cal "insane" which is the excuse he needed to check himself into the hospital. There was also 'spot' The Shield cast, if you found your concentration wandering: Catherine Dent (Faye) also agent Darcy in the Mentalist. Benito Martinez played Charlie here. David Marciano, who was also the original Ray in Due South; David Rees Snell, Kenneth Johnson and Cathy Cahlin (Beth). The Pied Piper led rats out of Hamlyn and here there was a not so subtle reference to this when Ben opens the crate and frees the rats.
Wonder if Eli ever gets an episode which is primarily about him cos he's really wasted in this show. Ria got one with her sister and he just seems to be the cute 'filler' guy and we do deserve to see more of him on screen.
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